This is just the first step in the budget process and we must continue to make the case for federal support of public media to Congress. It will take all of us, raising our voices in unison, to ensure that our message is heard and has impact.

PBS is trusted, valued and essential. Over the course of a year, 82% percent of all U. S. television households – and 200 million people – watch PBS. The bipartisan PBS Hart Research-American Viewpoint poll recently conducted indicated how 83% of voters – including 70% of those who voted for President Trump are in favor of keeping federal funding for PBS. We have prepared a number of resources to help tell our story, including a new version of the ValuePBS site, which presents irrefutable evidence of the value and importance of the services that PBS and member stations provide to the American public.

PBS continues to work closely with NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the entity through which federal monies flow to PBS and NPR, to remind policy makers that federal funding is critical to ensuring that we can carry out our mission around education, public safety, and community service. It is important to let decision makers know that in many rural and underserved areas, where families rely on over-the-air service, federal funding is critical seed money for stations.

If you have any questions or thoughts, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Please know that your support means everything to us. Many would argue that PBS and NPR are the best examples of a public/private partnership. You are the critical ‘private’ dimension in this partnership.

Thank you for your philanthropy and advocacy as we work to ensure that public media receives the critical investments needed to continue to deliver on our important mission.